Canada Immigration Process

Learn how to immigrate to Canada

Canada is one of the top countries for immigration desired by people who want to permanently move there. There are different ways on how can you immigrate to Canada such as:

Getting sponsored by your family
Finding a permanent job in Canada
Opening a business or investing in Canada
Other methods of getting a permanent visa (refugees, caretakers, etc.)

The process of immigrating to Canada requires fulfilling the necessary requirements which include the application process as well as filling out various forms.

What is the Canada immigration process?

There are many different ways you can emigrate to Canada depending on the type of permanent Canada visa you choose to apply for and fulfill the criteria. This includes a form of direct application or indirect application.

Sending out your documents and application forms to the Canadian Government so they can evaluate them is known as direct applications. After the evaluation, the Canadian Government will decide whether you will be granted a visa or not based on many different factors.

As for the indirect application, it works on a points-based system which is calculated on various factors that are specified in the Comprehensive Ranking System (CRS) Calculator. If you decide to apply indirectly, you must first submit a profile with your qualifications to show that you are eligible for the visa you choose and get enough points, more documents and application for permanent residence will be requested from the Canadian Government.

There are several forms that you must fill out depending on the type of visa in whichever method you use.

What are the types of forms to immigrate to Canada?

You must be familiar with the process of application in order to start the immigration process to Canada. Knowing what kind of forms you will have to fill will leave you a better chance of becoming familiar with the application process.

Depending on the status you have and the type of permanent residence you want to obtain, you will have to complete different forms. Some of the forms include people who want to work in Canada, refugees, business investors and entrepreneurs, family sponsorships, and so on. In the following section of the article are the forms which are organized depending on their starting reference numbers. The immigration officials will help you in order to choose the right one for your case.

IMM 0008 SCH2 – Schedule 2: Refugees Outside Canada
IMM 0008 SCH3 – Schedule 3: Economic Classes
IMM 0008 SCH4 – Schedule 4: Economic Classes: Provincial Nominees
IMM 0008 SCH4a – Schedule 4a: Economic Classes: Provincial Nominees – Business Nominees
IMM 0008 SCH5 – Schedule 5: Economic Classes – Declaration of Intent to Reside in Quebec (Oct 2002)
IMM 0008 SCH6 – Schedule 6: Business Immigrants – Investors and Entrepreneurs
IMM 0008 SCH6a – Schedule 6a: Business Immigrants – Self-Employed Persons
IMM 0008 SCH9 – Schedule 9: Economic Classes – Declaration of Intent to Reside in Quebec (Apr 2010)
IMM 0008 SCH12 – Schedule 12: Additional Information – Refugee Claimants Inside Canada
IMM 0008 SCH13 – Schedule 13: Business Immigration Programs – Start-Up Business Class
IMM 0008 SCH14 – Schedule 14: Protected Persons and Convention Refugees
IMM 0008 SCH15 – Schedule 15: Caring for children class
IMM 0008 SCH16 – Schedule 16: High Medical Needs Caregiver Class
IMM 0008 DEP – Additional Dependents / Declaration
IMM 1294 – Financial Evaluation
IMM 1295 – Application for Work Permit Made Outside Canada
IMM 1324 – Undertaking / Application for a Joint Assistance Sponsorship
IMM 1344 – Application to Sponsor, Sponsorship Agreement and Undertaking
IMM 5349 – Right of Permanent Residence Fee Loan Application
IMM 5373 – Undertaking / Application to Sponsor
IMM 5373A – Settlement Plan and Financial Assessment
IMM 5373B – Financial Profile for a Group of Five
IMM 5373PP – Undertaking / Application to Sponsor Under a Public Policy
IMM 5406 – Additional Family Information
IMM 5409 – Statutory Declaration of Common-Law Union
IMM 5476 – Use of a Representative
IMM 5494 – Settlement plan – Joint Assistance Sponsorship
IMM 5501 – Economic Classes: Atlantic Immigration Pilot Program
IMM 5768 – Financial Evaluation for Parents and Grandparents Sponsorship
IMM 5444 – Application for a Permanent Resident Card

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) on Canada Immigration

The application process is not that simple if you want to become a permanent resident in Canada. Even though applicants gather information and go through different documents to immigrate to Canada, there are still many situations that confuse the applicants. Further, we will give you the answers to some of the most asked questions on immigration to Canada.

How do I fill out an application for immigration?

If you come across a question that is not applicable to you or you do not know the answer to it, it is best if you write “not applicable” or “N/A” as an answer.

If you are applying on paper, make sure every answer is completed and it is easy to understand. If some answer does not fit the sheet, use a separate piece of paper to answer it and remember to state on the top of the page which question you are answering.

What is my client ID?

If your application for a Canadian visa or permanent residence is the first one for you, you will not have a client ID. Once you apply, the documents that you will receive from the Canadian officials will contain an eight to ten digit number that sort of looks like this 0000-0000 or 00-0000-0000

This number is unique and it is entitled to you, once you get it you will have to use it on all the documents. As we mentioned, if you are applying for the first time, you should write “N/A” whenever you come across the field that asks you to write the number. If the form does not allow you to write “N/A”, you can leave it blank.

What is a UCI?

UCI otherwise known as Unique Client Identifier applies for the same thing for a client ID, just with a different name. So, UCI is exactly the same as the client ID we explained above. If you are applying the first time you will not have UCI. Once you receive the documents from the Canadian Immigration, you will get your UCI number. This number is combined from eight to ten digits in this format: 0000-0000 or 00-0000-0000.

When you are applying for the first time, you should write “N/A” whenever you come across the field that asks you to write the number. If the form does not allow you to write “N/A”, you can leave it blank.

What do I do if I forgot my client ID/UCI?

You should not panic if you forget your client number or UCI. Of course, is hard to remember eight to ten digit number. In order to retrieve it, you must find any documents that Canadian immigration has sent to you. Your client ID or UCI number is on every document they send to you. If you possess study or work permit documents or Permanent Residence (PR) card, you can find this number there.

If you cannot find any documents or letters from Canadian Immigration, then you should leave that field blank and the officials will fill it out for you.

What if a question on a form does not apply to me?

It is important to know that you must fill out every question even though they may not apply to you. Leaving blank questions, have gathered chance for the Canadian officials to tell you that your application is incomplete and they may return it. If you come across a question that is not applicable to you or you do not know the answer to it, it is best if you write “not applicable” or “N/A” as an answer.

What languages should I submit my supporting documents?

Official languages in Canada are English and French, so all your supporting documents must be in one of these languages. If the documents you possess are in a different language, you must have them translated by a certified translator in one of the two languages mentioned above. The procedure for applying with translated documents requests to have a certified copy of the original document, the translated documents, as well as an affidavit from the person who translated it.

Should I submit a bank Use of Representative form if I am not using a representative?

The short answer is no. If you are using a representative then you do not need to send the “Use of Representative” form alongside all the documents for your application. Only when you use a representative, it is mandatory to send the form.

How to get faster processing on the immigration application?

There is no predetermined time set by the Canadian immigration officials. The processing time will be different depending on the situation and the compilation of the documents which you submitted. The processing phase cannot be sped up, but you can follow these steps in order to avoid any delays in the process:

Fill out the forms correctly without any missing or incorrect information
Inform the Canadian Immigration for any changes to your personal information such as name, family situation, contact info, etc.)
Do not provide false information on your application
Your supporting documents must be in English or French
Provide detailed information for your criminal or security history
Provide information if you have issues such as divorce, child custody problems, incomplete adoptions, etc.

If my immigration application gets refused, can I apply again immediately or do I have to wait?

After you receive notification that your application has been rejected, you will also receive a letter informing you of the reasons for the refusal. However, after the rejection, you can apply again immediately at any time unless the letter says that you are prohibited from applying for some time.

There are many different reasons why the Canadian immigration will not allow you to apply again for a certain period of time, but after the time passes, you can apply again, with corrected application from the previous time. It is important to know that you should not apply for immigration to Canada if you are using the same documents and information as in your last rejected application.